Apparatus and method for continuous vacuum degassing and casting of steel and other metals



UY 25 w57 A. H. w. slcKBERT 3,332,4'M

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS VACUUM DEGASSING AND CASTING OF STEEL AND OTHER METALS Filed March 2,

INVENTOR Adolf Heinrich Wilhelm Sickber United States Patent O 3,332,474 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS VACUUM DEGASSING AND CASTING OF STEEL AND OTHER METALS Adoif Heinrich Wilhelm Sickbert, Wattenscheid-Eppendorf, Germany, assigner to Midvale-Heppenstall Company, Nicetown, Pa., and Heppenstall Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., both corporations of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 348,498 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 2, 1963, B '70,963 6 Claims. (Cl. 164-4) This invention relates to vacuum degassing apparatus and method for steels and other metals in molten state to enable them to be cast without significant delay into continuous and other kinds of casting molds. More particularly, this invention pertains to vacuum degassing of relatively large quantities of molten metal in a continuous manner substantially simultaneously with the casting thereof, while providing toleration for variation in the rate molten metal is supplied, and, if desired, provision for changing physical properties and/ or chemical composition in the course of such vacuum degassing and casting.

In a practice of this invention, molten metal, such as steel, poured directly from a tilting-type electric furnace, or from a tapping ladle, into apparatus of this invention is capable of being vacuum degassed, poured into a casting container, and, cast substantially as a unitary, continuous operation even though there is variation in the rate that the molten metal is initially supplied to the invention apparatus, within the capacity thereof, and/or even though reaction agents and/ or alloying ingredients may be added if desired in the course of the continuous ow of the molten metal through the invention apparatus, and/ or, still further, even though the invention apparatus is successively supplied from one or more sources of molten metal in the course of a single cycle of operation thereof. Such invention apparatus is close coupled and controllable along the path of movement of molten metal passing therethrough for optimum achievement of the desired combinative degassing and casting results achievable under a practice of this invention. Casting thereby may comprise teeming at a selected rate or rates into one or more continuous casting molds to form one or more continuous billets of the molten metal being processed under the invention at the time then being, or into static molds, or moving conveyor molds.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative of one embodiment only, in which FIGURE l is a view in vertical cross section of one embodiment of this invention utilizable in a tap degassing operation for the continuous vacuum degassing and casting of a molten metal, such as steel, of selected composition and properties;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view partly in cross section of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 taken along line II-Il of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an end view, partly in cross section, taken along line lll-III of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of one form of apparatus of this invention comprises a pouring funnel 11, an enclosed vacuum tight molten metal receiving vessel 12 in the form of a vacuum degassing ladle connected to the pouring funnel 11, and, a molten metal reservoir container 13, for casting, connected to the vessel 12. Pouring funnel 11 is adapted to receive molten metal in substantially rened and/or finished condition from a tapping spout 14 of a tiltable electric arc furnace (not shown), or from any other suitable 3,332,474 Patented July 25, 1967 source, including a tapping ladle receiving its hot metal from a converter, open hearth furnace or other device for the production of rened and/or finished molten metal. Pouring funnel 11 is a refractory lined box with a steel shell having an overflow notch 15 in its upper edge as a safety or other measure, the molten metal entering the interior of pouring funnel 11 in the direction of arrow 16 when supplied by spout 14. A peripheral ange 17 around the lower portion of funnel 11 sits on a cylindrical flange 18 in vacuum-tight sealed relation thereto. Flange 18 is affixed to a vacuum cover 19 surrounding an inlet opening 20 in that cover. Opening 20 is positioned below an inlet nozzle 21 in the bottom of funnel 11 and before the start of a cycle of operation, the bottom of the passageway in nozzle 21 in closed by a fusible metal or disintegratable plastic diaphragm 22 capable of vacuum sealing. Admission to the upper end of such nozzle passageway is controlled by a stopper rod 23 connected by a cross arm 24 to a rod operating cylinder 25 which is an electric or hydraulic cylinder for preciseness of control of the movements of stopper rod 23, which can close, fully open or regulate the size of the entry opening into that passageway.

Opening 20, as shown, is circular and surrounded by an arcuate sealing flange 20a in which a closure disc Zlib may lslide in vacuum-sealing relation to the lower edge of the flange and to the underside edge of opening 2) when the disc is in vertical registry with that opening. An arm Ztic extends through sealed pivot 20d for operation by handle 20e at the appropriate time. Thus, after diaphragm 22 has been ruptured, or if a bottom-pour tapping ladle is placed directly on flange 18 with its discharge nozzle above opening 2l), the vacuum inside vessel 12 can be preserved by sliding disc 20h into sealing engagement across opening 20 to permit deposit or removal, as desired, either of the pouring funnel or tapping ladle relative to flange 18, and subsequent removal of any empty ladle for replacement thereof by a further ladle with a fresh supply of rened molten metal therein, When the vacuum seal around the top of flange 18 is reestablished by a funnel or ladle, disc 20h can be moved to one side by handle Zile and further molten metal poured into vessel 12 through opening 20 for Vacuum degassing and casting without there having been interruption of those functions in the invention apparatus 10 during the opening and closing of disc 2Gb.

Cover 19 seats upon an annular flange 26 of ladle 12 in vacuum-tight sealed relation during an operation. Ladle 12 comprises a steel shell with a refractory lining having an open top closed during operations by vacuum cover 19 and a refractory lined radiation shield 27. An opening 28 in shield 27 is in vertical registry with and below opening 20 and flange 20a and the space between may be surrounded by a refractory lined sleeve, if desired, to help guide molten metal through opening 2S into the interior 29 of ladle 12. A vacuum pipe 30 preferably is connected to interior 29 immediately below flange 26 and when connected to a vacuum pump by a hose 31, which may be flexible, such interior 29 may be evacuated to the desired extent. Such levacuation preferably is at least 'begun before molten metal is admitted into the interior 29 of vessel 12. Crane lifting lugs 32 may be provided on the outside of ladle 12 for the positioning thereof by a crane 0r other handling equipment in the position in which it is to be used, it being shown ready for use on a stand 33 on the plant floor in the illustrated embodiment. Lifting of ladle 12, normally when empty,

may also be used to lift the reservoir container or conoffset the weight of container 13, when one is used on one side, in the case of such movement.

A horizontal pouring passageway 34 is provided through the side wall of ladle 12 at the bottom of space 29, there preferably being another such passageway on the opposite side in diametral relation to the first. Such pouring passageway is continued outwardly by a registering portion 34a in a flanged extension piece 35 which may be integral with ladle 12 or rigidly connected thereto, ex- 'tension 35 being refractory lined to define passageway portion 34a.

Reservoir container 13 is shown as an open-top steel shell which is also lined with refractory. If desired, container 13 may be provided with a hood to maintain an inert atmosphere above the surface of the molten metal in casting container 13, or cover means may be provided with suitable seals for container 13, as will be understood, to enable the molten metal in container 13 to be held under vacuum in which event the height thereof in the container must be at least equal to the barometric height of the particular molten metal so that it will ow from the container when casting.

The upper edge of container 13 is depressed to define an overiiow outlet 40 having a spout 36, the bottom of the outlet fixing the maximum height 37 of the molten metal in container 13. An extension 38 lined with refractory to define an inlet passageway 39 is integral with, or rigidly fixed to one end of container 13. The respective outermost anges of extensions 35 and 38 are coupled together in leak-proof and vacuum-tight sealed relation by a hinged annular clamp 41, so that inlet passageway 39 is in complete registry with passageway 34. Preferably, a fusible -rnetal or disintegratable plastic diaphragm 42 is held in sealed relation by the joint faces of extensions 35 and 38 and blocks the pouring passageway 34 to insure that the interior 29 of ladle 12 is vacuum-tight before the cornmencernent of an operation. When vessel 12 is used with only one reservoir container 13 at a time, a refractorylined metal closure cap 43 may be used to seal the outer end of the second extension 35 as shown in FIGURE l, by the use of a clamp 41. Each extension 35 preferably has :the met-al shell thereof made of stainless non-magnetic steel so as not to disturb the heating energy generated by the water-cooled induction heating coils 44 which may be positioned around such extensions. As shown, such coils may be disconnectably connected by unions 45 to their power and water connections in the plant tioor, so that as and when ladle 12, or apparatus 10, is removed from stand 33, the -coils can remain on the extensions 35. Or, such a heating coil 44 may be positioned instead around the extension 38, or across the whole space between the vessels 12 and 13. Similarly, if, as and when additional heating means should be required where molten metal in vessel 12 is subject to plant delay or other cause silicon carbide glow bars, or electric arc heating means may be utilized within space 29 preferably immediately 'below shield 27 for such auxiliary heating purposes, or the circumference of ladle 12 may stand within an induction coil and be heated in that manner, if the coils are not embedded in refractory inside the shell of ladle 12. Container 13 may also have such auxiliary heating means if desired.

The discharge end of inlet passageway 39 is dished at 46 to cooperate with an arcuately movable stopper 47. Such Stoppers usually have a central rod or tube of steel which is completely covered with refractory. The uppermost end of the rod of stopper 47 is connected to an arm 48 which swings about a pivot shaft 49 mounted in brackets fixed to the edge of container 13, the outer end of pivot 49 being fixed to a link 50, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the cylinder rod 51 of an electric or hydraulic operating cylinder 52. Thereby, the cylinder 52 can be used to tightly close the continuous passageway 34-34a-39, or to fully open it, or to regulate the size of the discharge opening between the exit end of passageway 39 and the adjoining end of stopper 47. The bottom of reservoir container is provided with a plurality of refractory casting nozzles 53 having downwardly directed teeming passageways 54 therein to cast molten metal from the interior of container 13 in the direction of arrows 55 into, as shown, continuous casting molds 56 to form continuously cast billets 57. Such continuous casting molds may be made in accordance with any suitable continuous casting mold practice, a number of which are referred to in an article entitled The Continuous Casting of Steel appearing in the December 1963 issue of Scientific American.

The entrance ends of the passageways 54 may be closed, opened, or regulated in the size of the entry opening thereinto by the respective Stoppers 5S, each of which is connected to a cross arm 59 and rod 60 of an electrical or hydraulic operating cylinder 61 for precision of control. If desired, such cylinders 61 may be individually operated, or gang-operated. It will be apparent that all respective stopper operating cylinders herein may be utilized in the course of a practice of this invention for correlative flow control through nozzle 21, through pouring passageway 345-34:1-39 and through the one or more teeming passageways 54, in addition to the ow rate control achievable by pressure differential and/ or respective heads of molten metal in pouring funnel 11, ladle 12 and container 13; or, in the course of an operation all Stoppers may be fully opened when the nozzle and pouring passageway sizes themselves provide sucient correlation for continuous operation between the entry and discharge ends of the invention apparatus 10.

In a preferred operation of the embodiment shown in the drawingss a cycle may be started by preheating funnel 11, ladle 12 and container 13 while empty, covering ladle 12 and evacuating its interior 29. Then the pouring of molten metal may be poured into funnel 11 with its stopper closed at a suitable rate governed by the tilt of the furnace to which tapping spout 14 is attached until pouring funnel 11 is at least partially filled, sealing the top of invention apparatus 1) against intrusion of air into space 29. Stopper 23 is then raised to the desired extent and molten metal enters the passageway of nozzle 21, ruptures diaphragm 22 and streams in spray form into ladle 12, the vacuum producing source (not shown) connected to pipes 31 and 30 preferably being left running during the operation. The exit end of inlet passageway 39 is closed by stopper 47 and as molten metal rises in the bottom of ladle 12 it will rupture diaphragm 42 and when it reaches height H0, it will seal the interior 29 against the admission of the outside atmosphere from below. When the molten metal in ladle 12 reaches the top of a height H1, it will have sufcient head to flow into containe-r 13 when stopper 47 is opened to whatever extent is selected despite the vacuum above the pool of molten metal in ladle 12. Preferably, induction heating coils 44 may be operated at least while stopper 47 is Closed, to insure proper temperature and fluidity of the molten metal in the passageways 34. And, the left-hand induction heating coil 44 may well be left on during movement of molten metal into and out of vessel 12 to augment circulation in the pool of molten metal. Moreover, although in a preferred operation ladle 12 is evacuated before molten metal is allowed to enter the same, in some services, it may be sufficient to partially fill vessel 12 with molten metal before the vacuum producing source is started for the evacuation of the space 29 above the top surface of the pool of that molten metal. Stopper 47 may be opened by its operating cylinder 52 when molten metal is in vessel 12 to a height H1 plus H0, whereupon container 13 will begin to iill toward the desired level which normally will be below the level of outlet 40. Supplying of molten metal into pouring funnel 11 continues and head H1 plus H@ is maintained in ladle 12 for continuous molten metal liquid movement from funnel 11 through ladle 12 into container 13 in the quantity over a given period that molten metal from container 13 is cast by the selective opening of one or more of the nozzles 54 by the Stoppers 58, respectively. Moreover, for a given amount of vacuum in space 29 above the upper surface of the pool of liquid molten metal therein, a predetermined amount of head representing the difference in height between said upper surface and the top of the molten metal in container 13 will be required and maintained for continuous ow into container 13 whenever the pouring passageway is opened by stopper 47. Vessel 12 is made high enough so that even with a theoretically perfect vacuum, the head required for such pouring can easily be accommodated, the length of line H2 representing e.g., the barometric height of steel, which is about 1400 millimeters. In addition, a safety margin is provided in that the lowest level of vacuum pipe 30 is placed still higher in vessel 12 a distance represented by the line S extending from the upper end of line H2. One or more molten metal level sensing devices 62 may be utilized at diierent heights on vessel 12, whethe-r or not sealed visual observation means are provided through cover 19 and shield 27, or where it is desired to augment them. Sensing devices 62 may comprise radiation devices, or, as shown, thermocouple wells extending into the refractory lining of vessel 12, the uppermost one being at the level of the bottom edge of pipe 30 and representing the uppermost limit of molten metal in the pool in ladle 12 that can be accommodated in invention apparatus 10. Reaction agents and/ or alloying ingredients may be added to the molten metal in apparatus in a practice of this invention, where not performed in the furnace, or other molten metal supplying source, or by addition to the molten metal in pouring funnel 11. Thus, molten metal in ladle 12 may be treated through an addition device 63 utilizing a vacuum-tight hopper 64 with a self-sealing helical screw feeder extending down the neck thereof into a tube leading through cover 19 and shield 27, so that a reaction agent such as a deoxidizng substance, and/or alloying ingredient, will drop into the molten metal when the screw feeder is rotated; and/ or the molten metal in container 13 may be treated by a screw-conveyor addition device 65 having a hopper 66 thereon containing the additional material. Device 65 may be carried by material handling equipment used to move device 65 over the top of container 13 at appropriate times, and then remove it.

It will be recognized from the foregoing that invention apparatus 1t) and other practices of this invention comprise a closely coupled apparatus in which vacuum degassing and casting of molten metal may be conducted continuously and simultaneously in correlative fashion and with due allowance for the va-riations which may occur in the course of a unitary cycle of operation of apparatus 1G. For example, the casting through one or more of the nozzles S3 may be continued far beyond the capacity of the furnace to which tapping spout 14 is attached, by continuing the supply of molten metal to tilted pouring funnel 11 after the furnace supply to tapping spout 14 is exhausted, by having tapping ladles from other furnaces supply such pouring funnel, or by having a succession of such tapping ladles directly supply vessel 12. Sensing devices 62 may be utilized to insure the maintenance of a suicient head of molten metal in ladle 12 for continuous pouring of metal at the desired casting rate into container 13, correlated with the desired openings of the passageways 34-34a-39 and passageways 54 by their respective Stoppers. Suitable temperature devices described above may be utilized to Imaintain the molten metal in the ladle 12 at the desired temperature and to supply auxiliary heat to the molten metal in container 13. Having vacuum pipe 30 below the cover and shield simplifies the downtime and construction of apparatus 10 and, further, provides a safe margin for variations in pouring rate of molten metal entering ladle 12. Concurrently, casting goes on at a selected rate through one or more of the nozzle passageways 54 best suited to the operation of the molds 56, or other molds used, respectively. Although continuous casting of billets 57 is illustrated in connection with the described embodiment of this invention, such casting may be performed into stationary molds, car molds, or moving conveyor molds, as desired. Still further, in continuous vacuum degassing and casting hereunder of substantial quantities of molten metal, e.g., several hundred tons, in a single cycle of operations utilizing invention apparatus 10, the physical properties and/or chemical composition of the molten metal may be changed during the operating period by the use of addition devices 63 and/or 65. For example, in a single cycle, after a considerable quantity of rimmed steel has been vac-uum degassed and cast, deoxidizers may be added through device 63 to convert the molten metal from that point on into steel in a semi-killed or killed condition; or alloying ingredients may be added to the molten metal through devices 63 and/ or 65 to change its chemical composition,- without interruption of continuity of the cycle or molten metal ow through the apparatus. And, container 13 may be used in the illustrated embodiment on either side of vessel 12, in the form of a ladle or other molten metal receiving vessel, or a pair of such containers may be utilized in the same manner as described in connection with the illustrated embodiment using but a single such container 13. Or, vessel 12 may be constructed so that it can accommodate only one container 13 at a time, eliminating the second extension 3S, passageway 34 and coil 44.

After the completion of a vacuum degassing and casting operation, apparatus 10 may be opened for any refractory repairs that may be needed, diaphragms 22 and 42 may be replaced after any metal remaining in passageway 34-34a has been removed. Removing any such metal is simplified by virtue of passageways 34-34a being in a direct line with one another. The apparatus then is readied for a new cycle preferably utilizing preheating and preevacuation of vessel 12.

Various other changes may be made in the illustrated embodiment and mode of operation thereof and other embodiments provided, without departing from the spirit of this invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Vacuum degassing and casting apparatus for molten metal comprising, in combination, an open-top molten metal receiving vessel, a vacuum-tight cover adapted to close the top of said Vessel, an evacuation pipe connected to the upper portion of said vessel below said cover and adapted to evacuate the inside of said vessel when closed, a pouring passageway in the lower portion of said vessel, a separate removable open-top reservoir container having an inlet passagew-ay in the lower portion thereof adapted to be positioned in alignment with said pouring passageway and sealingly attached thereto, said container having an overflow outlet above said inlet passageway, an arcuately movable inlet stopper adapted to close, fully open, or regulate the size of the discharge opening from said inlet passageway into said container, operating means connected to said inlet stopper above the level of said outlet, at least one pouring nozzle in the bottom `of said container having a teeming passageway adapted to be positioned above and in vertical registry with a casting mold, and a vertically movable nozzle stopper adapted to close, fully open or regulate the size of the opening into said teeming passageway, the entry en-d of said evacuation pipe at said vessel being positioned a selected distance above the level of said outlet at least equal to the barometric height of a column of said molten metal.

2. Vacuum degassing and casting apparatus for molten metal comprising, in combination, a molten metal receiving vessel, a vacuum-tight cover adapted to close the top of said vessel, a pouring funnel surmounting said cover in vacuum-tight relation when said cover closes the top of said vessel, said receiving vessel having a capacity which is a multiple of the capacity of the funnel,

a discharge nozzle in the bottom of said funnel and a registering opening therebelow in said cover to discharge molten metal into said vessel when said nozzle is opened, means for opening said nozzle to `a selected extent, an evacuation pipe connected to the upper portion of said vessel below said cover and adapted to evacuate the inside of said vessel when closed, a pair of diametrally opposed pouring passageways in the lower portion of said Vessel, a separate removable reservoir container having an inlet passageway in the lower portion thereof adapted to be positioned in alignment with one of said pouring passageways and sealingly attached thereto, said container having an overow outlet above said inlet passageway on the opposite side `of said container, a movable inlet stopper adapted to close, fully open, or regulate the size of the discharge opening from said inlet passageway into said container, at least one pouring nozzle in the bottom of said container having a teeming passageway adapted to be positioned above and in vertical registry with a casting mold for continuous casting and the like, a vertically movable nozzle stopper adapted to close, fully open, or regulate the size of the opening into said teeming passageway, and operating means connected to said inlet stopper and nozzle stopper above the level of said outlet, the entry end of said evacuation pipe at said vessel being positioned a selected distance above the level of said outlet at least equal to the barometric height of a column of said molten metal.

3. Vacuum degassing and casting apparatus for molten metal comprising, in combination, an open-top molten metal receiving vessel, a. vacuum-tight cover adapted to close the top of sai-d vessel and having a pouring opening therethrough for molten metal, a vacuum sealing ange xed to said cover around said opening and adapted to receive a holder of a supply of molten metal to be poured into said vessel through said opening, said receiving vessel having a capacity which is a multiple of the capacity of the holder of a supply of molten metal, means to vacuum seal said opening when said holder is not in. vacuum sealing relation to said flange, an evacuation pipe connected to the upper portion of said vessel adjacent said cover and adapted to evacuate the inside of said vessel when closed, at least one pouring passageway in the lower portion of said vessel, a separate removable reservoir container having an inlet passageway in the lower portion thereof adapted to be positioned in alignment with said pouring passageway and sealingly attached thereto, said container having an overow outlet above said i-nlet passageway, a movable inlet stopper adapted to close or regulate the size of the discharge opening from said inlet passageway into 4said container, at least one pouring nozzle in the bottom of said container having a teeming passageway adapted to cast said molten metal, a movable nozzle stopper adapted to close or regulate the size of the opening into said teeming passageway, operating means connected to said Stoppers, the entry end of said evacuation pipe at said vessel being positioned a selected distance above the level of said molten metal in said container at least equal to the barometric height of a column of said molten metal.

4. Vacuum degassing and casting apparatus as set forth in claim 3, comprising, a pouring funnel surmounting said cover in vacuum-tight relation when said cover closes the top of said vessel, a discharge nozzle in the bottom of said funnel in registry with said opening to discharge molten metal into said vessel when said nozzle is opened, means for opening said nozzle to a selected extent, means for maintaining molten metal in said vessel and in said pouring passageway at a predetermined temperature, and means for sensing the height of molten metal in said vessel.

5. Vacuum degassing and casting apparatus as set forth in claim 3, comprising, said operating means being electric or hydraulic means for precision operation of said Stoppers to close, fully open, or regulate the size of their respective openings, and means for adding reaction or alloying agents to molten metal in one of said vessel and container.

6. Method for continuously vacuum degassing and casting molten metal comprising, in combination, supplying refined molten metal into a supply zone, discharging rened molten metal from said supply zone at a preselected rate into a preevacuated molten metal receiving zone, indicating the level of molten metal in said receiving zone and maintaining it at a suitable pouring height but below the level from which said receiving zone is evacuated, maintaining molten metal in said receiving zone at selected temperature, pouring molten metal from the lower portion of said receiving zone at a selected rate into a casting zone, preventing molten metal in said casting zone from rising above a predetermined level relative to the level of molten metal in said receiving zone, maintaining said receiving zone under vacuum throughout any single cycle of operation, and teeming molten metal from said casting zone at a selected rate toward a casting mold zone, whereby said refined molten metal is continuously vacuum degassed and cast in a single unitary operation irrespective of the capacity of the supplying source of rened molten metal supplied to said supplying zone, successive supplying to said supplying zone and changes in the level of molten metal in said receiving zone within the limits thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,837,790 6/ 1958 IRozian 22-73 3,125,440 3/1964 Hornak et al. 22-21S 3,160,929 12/1964 Woodburn 22-79 FORElGN PATENTS 567,983 6/1958 Belgium. 1,086,401 8/ 1960 Germany.

vI. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. VACUUM DEGASSING AND CASTING APPARATUS FOR MOLTEN METAL COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN OPEN-TOP MOLTEN METAL RECEIVING VESSEL, A VACUUM-TIGHT COVER ADAPTED TO CLOSE THE TOP OF SAID VESSEL. AN EVACUATION PIPE CONNECTED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID VESSEL BELOW SAID COVER AND ADAPTED TO EVACUATED THE INSIDE OF SAID VESSEL WHEN CLOSED, A POURING PASSAGEWAY IN THE LOWER ORTION OF SAID VESSEL, A SEPARATE REMOVABLE OPEN-TOP RESERVOIR CONTAINER HAVING AN INLET PASSAGEWAY IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID POURING PASSAGEWAY AND SEALINGLY ATTACHED THERETO, SAID CONTAINER HAVING AN OVERFLOW OUTLET ABOVE SAID INLET PASSAGEWAY, AN ARCUATELY MOVABLE INLET STOPPER ADAPTED TO CLOSE, FULLY OPEN, OR REGULATE THE SIZE OF THE DISCHARGE OPENING FROM SAID INLET PASSAGEWAY INTO SAID CONTAINER, OPERATING MEANS CON- 